Designers

Works mostly on older houses, where the job is usually to get light off the ceiling and put it where people actually sit. Chooses a fixture the way she chooses furniture — by how it reads switched off.

Came to houses after years lighting rooms full of strangers, and still designs for the edges of a room rather than the middle of it. One good pendant over four downlights, every time.

Draws in section before she draws in plan, so the shape of a shade comes from where the light has to land. Likes materials that age visibly and distrusts anything that only works in a photograph.

Blows and slumps every shade by hand, which is why no two come out quite the same colour. Works in small runs and stops a batch when it stops being interesting.